Fifth wheel stand



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United States Patent 3,2625% FIFTH WHEEL STAND Robert M. Sherrie,Lansing, Mich, and Incl; W. Berger, Calumet (Zity, Ill., assignors toPullman Incorporated, Chicago, EL, a corporation of Delaware Originalapplication Mm. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 797,939. Divided and this applicationNov. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 325,376

Claims. (Cl. 248-419) This application is a division of applicationSerial No. 797,989, filed Mar. 9, 1959.

Our invention relates to a fifth wheel stand for use in supporting thefront end of a trailer when the latter is carried in railroad transit ona railroad flatcar or a car of similar design.

The so-called piggyback freight handling system or T.O.F.C. (trailer onllatcar) requires the use of a fifth wheel stand at one end of the carto support the front end of the trailer during transit to a givendestination. The usual procedure calls for a trailer to be backed onto allatcar, disconnected from its trailer tractor and temporarily supportedon its landing gear, after which the fifth wheel stand is raised from alowered inoperative position on the fioor of the car into lockingengagement with the trailer kinpin. The fifth wheel stand, besidesengaging the trailer kingpin, also lifts the front end of the trailersufr'iciently to elevate the trailer landing gear above the car floor.At the destination, the fifth wheel stand is disconnected from thetrailer kingpin and lowered to its inoperative position the trailertemporarily resting on its landing gear until it is connected to anothertruck tractor for delivery to an ultimate destination.

Conventional fifth wheel stands employed in this practice are ordinarilyself-actuated, that is, they include some power unit, such as ahydraulic or screw type jack, which is employed to move the standbetween its elevated operative position and its lowered inoperativeposition. Furthermore, since the fifth wheel stand must have aninoperative position that is substantially flush with a floor of a carto enable the trailer to be moved over it, and since the stand must alsobe capable of lifting and supporting 30,090 pounds or more, the standmust include a strong supporting structure that makes provision for aleverage arrangement to enable the jack employed to effectively actuatethe stand. The result is that fifth wheel stands have tended to take theform of heavy structures employing leverage arrangements that permitleverage changes to supply the varying mechanical advantages necessaryduring the raising and lowering of the stand. The foregoing, in additionto the fact that some a cushioning arrangement must be employed inconnection with the stand, has meant that conventional fifth wheelstands have tended to be relatively complicated in design, expensive tomanufacture and maintain, difficult for the average employee to operate,and subject to frequent breakdowns while in service.

Furthermore, it has been found that the various cushioning arrangementsof conventional fifth wheel stands are generally unsatisfactory as theyfail to provide any significant decrease in lading damage during transiton the car. All railroad cars are subject to buff and draft forcesduring transit, and when the cars are humped at classification yards,the buff forces may be quite severe. This lading damage presents one ofthe principal problerns in the railroad industry today because of thelarge number of claims that must be paid. Most of these claims can beattributed to the damage caused by impact forces that the lading hasbeen subjected to while on the railroad car, and experience shows thatthis lading damage is just as likely to occur in piggyback service aswell as when lading is transported in boxcars.

q dlilishd Fatenteel Aug. 24-, lhdti A principal object of our inventionis to provide a simplified, comparatively lightweight fifth wheel standthat is adapted to be raised and lowered by using the motive power ofthe truck tractor, thus eliminating the need for an expensive jackdevice and leverage arrangement to raise and lower the fifth wheelstand.

A further principal object of the invention is to provide a fifth wheelstand arrangement adapted to provide for the application of cushioningdevices between the stand and the car, or permit the stand to be applieddirectly to the car (as in the case of cushion underframe cars).

Still other objects of the invention are to provide a fifth wheel standwhich indexes the trailer kingpin longitudinally and laterally of thecar with practical allowances for variation in location of the kingpinwith respect to the stand; to provide an improved kingpin latchingdevice for fifth wheel stands; to provide a fifth wheel stand structurethat is adjustable in reach so that trailers of varying height may beaccommodated by the stand, to provide a stand that is arranged toaccommodate a cushioning arrangement interposed between the stand andthe car; and to provide a stand that is inexpensive of manufacture,convenient in use, and readily adapted to all railroad and other freighthandling systems requiring a fifth wheel stand or its equivalent.

ther objects, uses and advantages will be obvious or become apparentfrom a consideration of the following detailed description and theapplication drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatical perspective view showing several railroadfiatcars being loaded in accordance with usual piggyback practices,illustrating our stand applied thereto;

FIGURES 24 are diagrammatic side elevational views illustrating themanner in which our fifth wheel stand is applied to the kingpin of aconventional trailer;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of our invention shownapplied to a railroad car bed in its elevated, operative position;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational View of the fifth wheel stand structureshown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view partially in section and taken from theright hand side of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a Iragmental cross-sectional view along line t8 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view approximately along line 9-9 ofFIGURE 6;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 6,but illustrating how it appears in its lowered inoperative position,parts being in section substantially along line Iii-10 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic longitudinal cross-sectional view throughthe hydraulic cushion device employed in our fifth wheel stand showingthe device in its extended position;

FIGURE 12 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 11, but showing thecushion device in its fully contracted position;

FIGURE 13 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 12, but on an enlargedscale and with parts broken away to facilitate illustration;

FIGURE 14 is a side elevational view of a modified form of fifth wheelstand in its lowered inoperative position;

FIGURE 15 is a side elevational view of the stand of FIGURE 14 in itselevated operative position;

FIGURE 16 is a fragmental end elevational View of the upper portion ofthe device as shown in FIGURE 15 taken from the right hand side ofFIGURE 15;

. c3 FIGURE-l7 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view along line 1717 ofFIGURE FIGURE 18 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view' FIGURE 22 is anelevational view taken approximately along line 22-22 of FIGURE I FIGURE23 is a perspective view of a plate employed to secure the coupler jawshown in FIGURE 20 to the fifth wheel plate structure;

FIGURE 24 is an enlarged plan view of the fifth wheel stand coupler jawand associated structures, parts being shown in section; 7

FIGURE 25 is a fragmental cross-sectional view along line 25-25 ofFIGURE 24;

FIGURE 26 is an end elevational view of the fifth wheel plate structureshown in FIGURE 20 on an enlarged scale and taken from the left handside of this figure; and

FIGURE 27 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view along line 27- -27 ofFIGURE 24.

It should be understood that the specific disclosure which follows isfor the purpose of complying with Section 112 of Title ofthe US. Code,and that the appended claims are to be construed as broadly as the prior4 V tensible and contractible diagonal struts '30 an'd a pair of rigidvertical struts 32. The struts 30 are secured to the cushion apparatustraveling housing component 24 by shafts 34 (see FIGURES 7 and 9) whichjournal rollers 36 riding in trackways 38. The struts 32 are secured to.

the cushion apparatus traveling housing component 24 by shafts 40 whichjournal rollers 42 that also ride in track- 'ways 38. Shafts 49 arefixed to the respective struts 32 as by welding.

The struts 30 and 32. fifth wheel plate structure 1 2 by common stubshafts 44 mounted in lugs 46 fixed to the fifth wheel plate structure.

The fifth wheel plate structure (see FIGURE 20) generally comprises afifth wheel plate 48 formed with kingpin guiding surfaces 50 thatconverge toward a rotatable coupler jaw 52 which is provided with akingpin receiving notch 54 and is adapted to' be secured againstmovement by a plunger 56 operated by handle 58.

The trailers F are transported on highways by a truck tractor to whichthey are secured by an appropriate fifth wheel mechanism that graspskingpin 62'(see FIGURE 2). In utilizing the fifth wheel stand It), thetrailer F is applied to a railroad car A by being backed onto same tothe position where the kingpin 62 will be engaged by the fifthwheelplate structure 12 when the stand it! is raised from its loweredinoperative position of FIGURE 2 to its elevated operative position ofFIGURE 4. The truck tractor then lowers the front end of the traileronto landing gear G whereupon the trailer is disconnected and moved ashort distance forwardly of the trailer, or to the right of FIGURE 2; Achain 64 or any other suitable art will permit consistent with thedisclosure herein made. 7

GENERAL DESCRIPTION FIGURE 1 diagrammatically illustrates typicalrailroad shipping yard facilities employed in practicing the piggybackfreight handling system, which may consist of a single track upon whicha number of fiatcars are positioned in coupled relation, these carsgenerally being designated A.

At the end of the track (the rails of which are omitted .for simplicityof illustration) is a ramp. B, with the car A at the end of the trackbeing positioned closely adjacent the ramp. Subsequent cars areinterconnected by retractable sills generally designated C. Each car Athat is to be used for piggyback service is provided with a fifth'.stand D to support the front end of the trailer during ,travel of therailroad car.

Cars A may be provided with suitable guard rails on each side of theirfront and rear ends to'gu'ide the movement of the truck tractor andtrailer wheels. A suitable type is indicated at H in FIG- URE 5.

Reference numeral 10 of FIGURES 2-6 generally in dicates one embodimentof our invention, which generally comprises a fifth wheel platestructure 12,.a' lift structure 14, and a cushion assembly 16. Thecushion assembly 16 is mounted in any suitable manner on the supportingsurfacev 18 of a standard railroad fiatcar A and includes a cushiondevice 20 (see FIGURE 9) that is mounted between spaced lugs22 fixed tothe railroad car.

The cushion assembly 16 includes atraveling housing component 24 towhich the lift structure is connected and which carries lugs 26 that arepositioned to be engaged by the ends of the hydraulic cushion device 20.

The lift structure 14 generally comprises a pair of exconnecting deviceis then connected between bracket 66 l (of any suitable type) secured tothe fifth wheel plate structure 12 and the rear end 68 of the trucktractor, after which the motive power of the truck tractor is employedto pull thefifth wheel stand 10 from its lower inoperative position toits elevated operating position as indicated in FIGURES 2-4. The struts30 are in the form of telescoping members 70 which in the loweredposition are fully extended but are contracted as the stand approachesits elevated position of FIGURE 4. The fifth wheel plate structure 12 isswung upwardly from the position of FIG- I URE 2 to the position ofFIGURE 4 about the shafts 40 that connect struts 32 to the cushionapparatus traveling component 24. Struts 3t) are then secured incontracted relation by a suitable latch device 72.

As the stand 10 approaches the position of FIGURE 3 from the position ofFIGURE 2, the trailer kingpin 62 isengaged by one of the surfaces 50 andguided toward the notch 54 of coupler jaw 52 which is initially disposedin the position of FIGURE 24. Further elevation of the fifth wheel platestructure 12 causes the kingpin 62 to erlgage within 'notch 54 and movecoupler jaw 52 to the position of FIGURE 20 which causes plunger 56 tomove from notch 76 to its notch 78 and lock the coupler jaw in positionof FIGURE 20, wherein the notch 54 is closed by an abutment member 8%fixed to the fifth wheel plate 48. As best seen in FIGURE 21, bracket 66is below the axes of shafts 44 so that the force applied to fifth wheelplate structure 12 through chain 64 holds structure 12 substantially inthe position shown in FIGURE 3 until it contacts the undersurface oftrailer F. V

The final elevating action on the fifth wheel stand effects a lifting ofthe front end of the trailer off its landing gear G as indicated inFIGURE 4. The chain 64 is then removed and truck tract-or E driven offthe series of cars.

During transit, the trailer F as secured to the railroad car iscushioned against buff and draft forces by cushioning apparatus I6,which in the illustrated embodiment is. designed to provide a cushionedtravel on the order of thirty inches and to transfer and dissipatesubstantially .all kinetic energy that is applied to the fifth wheelstand:

due to buff and draft forces in accordance with the tech-. ings ofWilliam H. Peterson Patent 3,003,436, granted are pivotally connected tothe.

October 10, 1961 on application Serial No. 856,963, filed December 3,1959 as a continuation-in-part of the application Serial No. 797,529(filed March 5, 1959) that is referred to hereinafter. Furthermore, thecushion apparatus 16 provides a substantially constant force travelcharacteristic in transferring and dissipating bud and draft forces, asdisclosed hereinafter and in said patent. The fiatcars A may be providedwith any suitable means for guiding the movement of the trailer F withrespect to the car during this cushioning action and, of course, theholding action of the fifth wheel stand may be supplemented byappropriate tiedown devices.

When the destination of the railroad car is reached, a truck tractor isbacked to the front of the trailer F and a chain 64 secured between thebracket 66 carried by the fifth wheel plate structure and the rear endof the truck tractor Latching devices 72 are then removed from struts3d, and landing gear G, which ordinarily includes some form of jackdevice for raising or lowering the landing gear with respect to thetrailer, are lowered to take a substantial portion of the weight of thefront end of the trailer off of the fifth wheel stand. After plunger 56is withdrawn from coupler jaw notch 78, the fifth wheel plate structureis pushed to the left of FIGURE 4 to start its lowering action afterwhich it is lowered to the full inoperative position by slowly backingtractor 63 toward the front end of the trailer until the fifth wheelplate structure rests on the bed of the fiatcar. Chain 64 is thenremoved and the trailer F connected to the truck tractor E in the usualmanner after which the trailer F is driven from the railroad car.

In the embodiment 95 of FIGURES 14-19, a modified form of lift structure90 is employed including a pair of extensible diagonal strut formingmembers 92 and a pair of extensible vertical strut forming members 94.Members 92 function in substantially the same way as members 70 of theembodiment of FEGURE 6, appropriate latching devices 96 being employedto secure members 92 in contracted relation.

The members 94 comprise an upper tubular member 98 which telescopinglyreceives a lower member 100, a compression spring 192 being interposedbetween these members of each strut 94. The struts 94 are held inextended relation by springs Th2 and this extended relation ispreferably made such that the fifth wheel plate structure 12 will bepositioned sufficiently high, as it is raised from the position ofFIGURE 2 to the position of FIG- URE 3, to engage kingpin 62 of trailersstanding at the varying standard heights above the railroad car bed.After the stand 95 of FiGURES 14-19 is raised into contact with theuudersurface of the trailer (the position of FIGURE 3), a flanged nut104 (see FIGURE 18) carried by each strut 94 is turned up against thelower end of the member 98 and clamping device 1% applied thereto tohold the struts 94 in this position. The lifting action is thencompleted and latching devices 96 applied to struts 90 to secure thestand 95 for transit. When the destination is reached, latching devices96 and 1% are disconnected and the stand 95 lowered as described above.

CUSHION APPARATUS The cushion assembly 16 comprises traveling housingcomponent 24, trackways 38 and hydraulic cushion device 20.

As seen in FIGURES 7 and 8, the traveling housing component 24 comprisesa pair of substantially Z-sha-ped members 116 fixed to each side of acentral sheet memher 112 as by welding at 114. The shafts 34 and 40 passthrough suitable perforations formed in the members 110. The housingcomponent 24 carries a pair of spaced angle members 1 16 that extendlongitudinally of the railroad car and between which the cushion deviceis mounted. The lugs 26 are fixed to the depending flanges 118 of anglemembers 116 as by suitable bolts 120.

Trackways 38 each comprise a pair of spaced channels 1122 supported byappropriate brace plates 124 both of which may be welded to the railroadcar bed and to each other; .bed 18 in the embodiment shown is providedwith a base plate 126. The rollers 36 and 42 ride on the lower flanges128 of the respective channel members 122.

As seen in FIGURES 5 and 7, a generally U-shaped brace plate 130 isfixed to the upper surface of the traveling component as by welding at132 and is joined to the lower flange 13d of the respective Z-shapedmembers as by welding at 138. The respective brace plates receive shafts34 and serve to efiect a restraining action on said shafts to keeprollers 36 aligned with tra-ckways 38. A further brace plate weldedbetween the brace plate 130 and the respective Z-shaped members 110reinforces the brace plates 130.

The rollers 36 and 42 may be provided with appropriate spacers 142 tomaintain their proper positioning with respect to channel members 122.

The hydraulic unit 20 is preferably that described in copendingapplication of William H. Peterson, Serial No. 782,786, filed December24, 1958, now Patent No. 3,035,027, granted May 22, 1962, the entiredisclosure of which is hereby incorporated by this reference. This unit20 permits the concepts described in the application of William H.Peterson, Serial No. 797,529, filed Mar. 5, 1959 (the disclosure ofwhich is hereby incorporated by reference) regarding the protection oflading to be incorporated in our fifth wheel stand to achieve theresults described in application Serial No. 797,529, the basic featuresof which are covered by said Peterson Patent 3,003,436.

As described in application Serial No. 797,529 and Peterson Patent3,003,436, when the shock of impact (as from buff or draft forces) isabsorbed by a cushioning mechanism having a length of travel far inexcess of the travel length customarily used, lading damages may bematerially reduced if not eliminated altogether. The invention describedin application Serial No. 797,529 and Peterson Patent 3,003,436contemplates the use of a long travel cushioning device 20 which has asubstantially constant force travel characteristic over its operatingstroke. The operating stroke may be a distance in the range of fromabout twenty to about forty inches, though about thirty inches ispreferred. When a cushioning device having travel on the order ofcushion device 20 is employed, lading forces (forces that cause ladingdamage) are kept below dangerous peaks on impacts.

The device 20 operates to transfer and dissipate substantially allkinetic energy imposed upon the fifth wheel stand by buff and draftforces (in excess of the minor amounts absorbed by the return springs ofdevice 20), and the portion thereof that is dissipated is dissipated inthe form of heat; this is to be distinguished from spring typecushioning devices that merely store the energy at impact and return itin the form of oscillations. By employing the device 20, the timerequired for the transfer of the momentum of, for instance, a strikingcar to a struck car (carrying the lading in question) is prolongedsuificiently to enable the lading to be compacted before the struck carreaches its ultimate velocity, and when a cushion travel on the order ofthat called for by said application Serial No. 797,529 and PetersonPatent 3,003,- 436 is provided for, lading forces may be kept at safelimits. This is particularly important in transporting commodities infiber boxes and other containers (described as resilient lading in saidapplication Serial No. 797,529) which are very susceptible to dam-age onimpacts and form the basis of the large proportion of lading damageclaims against U.S. railroads.

Device 20 generally comprises a tubular cylinder 152 in which a pistonhead 154 is recipr-oca bly mounted, a tubu lar piston rod 156 fixed tothe piston head 154, an invaginating tubular member or boot 158connected between the tubular cylinder 152 and the tubular piston rod156, and helical compression springs 160 extending between 152 andtubular piston rod 156, respectively.

The closure member 162 of tubular cylinder 152 carries a metering pin164 that is reciprocably received within the bore 166 of the tubularpiston rod 156. The metering pin 164' preferably is provided with aguide member 168 (see FIGURE 13) at its projecting end.

' The internal surface 167 of-tubular cylinder 152 is formed in anysuitable manner as at 170 to receive three snap rings 172, 174 and .176;The. snap ring 172 serves as a stop for piston head 154 when the deviceis in its extended position of FIGURE 1, while the snap rings 174' and176 hold in place a piston rod guide member 178 to which one end 180 ofthe invaginating boot or tubular member 158 is secured by a suitableclamp 182. The other end of boot 158 is turned outside in, and issecured to the external surface 184 of the piston rod 156 by a suitableclamp 1'86. 7 The de' ice 20is charged with hydraulic liquid asdescribedin said copending application to completely fill the space defined bythe tubular cylinder 152, the tubular 'under the force being cushioned,the metering pin 164 displaces hydraulic liquid containedwithin thetubular piston rod 156 and the piston head 154 causes a hydraulic liquidflow through its orifice 192 through which the metering pin' 164extends. The metering pin is preferably provided with a taperedsurfiace.194 that is designed to provide the aforementioned constant forcetravel chara-cteristic as the hydraulic cushion contracts under theshock imposed upon it; that is, the arrangement is such that for everyunit of travel, the cushioning device provides a substantially constantcushioning effect.

As indicated in FIGURES 11 and 13, the oil flow then initiated is fromchamber '200 on the high pressure side a of piston head 154 throughorifice 192 and into the bore 166 of tubular piston rod 156, thenceradially outwardly of the piston rod 156 through orifices or ports 204of the tubular piston rod. As the hydraulic liquid withinthe tubularpiston rod is displaced by the metering pin 164, it likewise movesthrough ports 204, as indicated by the arrows. Metering pin guide member168 is formed with relatively largely apertures 169 to permit 'a freeflow of hydraulic liquid during movement of the metering pin;

The hydraulic liquid flow through ports 204 is under relatively highvelocity and creates great turbulence in the chamber 206 that is' formedby the space between tubular piston guide member 178 and piston head154. This great turbulence is caused at least in part by the radiallydirected flow of hydraulic liquid impinging directly against the innersurface 167 of tubular cylinder'152, and is responsible for dissipationof much of the kinetic energy of the hydraulic liquid in the form ofheat.

As'the contraction of the cushion device 20 proceeds, the high pressurechamber 200 is reduced involume by the advancement of the piston head 154 toward the tubular cylinder closure member 162. The hydraulic liquidpassing through orifice 192 fills the chamlzier 206 behind the pistonhead 154, while a volume ofhydraulic liquid equivalants to thatdisplaced by the total entry into the "fluid chamber of the piston rod156, passes. through ape'rtures 208 of guide member 178 into the space210 enclosed by the invaginating boot or tubular member158 whichinflates or expands and rolls to the position suggested by FIGURE 12.The-apertures 208, as seen in FIGURE 13, are relatively large'incross-sectional area,

. URE 13 is reversed, and invaginating tubular member or which providesor permits a relatively large volume and consequently 'low pressurehydraulic liquid flow from cushion components to the initial extendedposition of' FIGURE 11. During this movement under the action of thecompression springs, the oilflow illustrated in FIG- boot 158 defiatesand returns to the position of FIGURE from impact.

11, thereby insuring that the hydraulic liquid displaced by the pistonrod 156 isrestored to its normal operative lo-' cations.

The flanges 118 of angle members 116, sheet 112 and the bed of the carserve to guide the contraction and extension movement of the unit 20 andprevent it from jackknifing. V

It will thus be seen that not only is the device 20 composed of few andsimple components, and that all sliding or dynamic seals have beeneliminated, but a reliable long travel cushioning action is provided.Furthermore, all kinetic energy applied to the cushion device isdissipated in the form of heat by the passing of the hydraulic liquidthrough orifice '192'and the turbulence in chamber 206, with theexception of the small potential energy stor ed in the return springs. 7

Reference may be 'had to said copending application Serial No.782,786for a more specific description of unit 20. It'may be added,however, that the tapering surface 194 of the metering pin 164 extendsbetween points 212 and 214 (see FIGURE 13), and that the contour oftapered surface 194'in the illustrated embodiment is designed from therelationship the tapered surface 194), and A 'is the initial orificearea defined by orifice 192 at the beginning of a stroke, in the casewhere a completely rigid body is being cushioned While in most casesthis assumption will result in a reasonably eflicient design, smallalterations can be readily made to this shape to give a closer approachto the optimum constant force travel characteristic for a givensituation after a few experimental trials. However, the shape given bythe above formula is the best starting point. Furthermore, it is usuallypossible to obtain a reasonably efficient design by approximating thecurved shape 7 given by the above expression as by calculatting a seriesof spaced cross-sectional areas of the pin 164 and connecting thecross-sectional areas so determined by straight tapers, if thisfacilitates manufacture. The orifice areas referred to are the orificeareas of orifice 192 minus the cross-sectional area of the metering pinat any given position 7 along the stroke of the metering pin.

'The components of the unit 20 may be formed from any suitablematerials, boot 158 of the illustrated embodi- -a relatively smallvariation in viscosity between the extremes of minus60 degrees Rand 150.degrees F.

The hydraulic liquid when the device is in fully extended position'isunder-very little pressure, perhaps no more than 2 p.s.i., buteventhough the pressures in the high pressure chamber 200'may rise to asmuch as 8,000

p.s.i. as when the device is employed in'railroad cars to cushion buttand draft forces, the maximum pressure within the invaginating boot 158(when fully inflated) is believed to be about 6 psi. Boot 158 stretchesabout 100 percent when fully inflated. Units 29 can be designed foroperating pressures up to the limit of the yield strength of cylinder152 and the device of FIGURES 11-13 is capable of absorbing kineticenergy on the order of a million foot pounds, depending, of course, onthe specific design required for a specific purpose. Units 20 will thuseasily absorb 15 mile per hour impacts when applied to, for instance,the railroad cars A, though impacts of this magnitude would damage thecar.

LIFT STRUCTURE Referring now to FIGURES -8 and 10, the members 70forming diagonal struts 39 each comprise a tubular member 240 thatslidably receives the rod-like member 242. The tubular members 240 areclosed at one end by a clevis member 244 which is received over theshaft 44 that secures the respective struts 39 to the fifth wheel platestructure 12. The rod-like members 242 are formed as at 246 (see FIGUREto receive the respective shafts 34 and are provided with stop lugs orflanges 248 that limit the forward swinging movement of the fifth wheelstand when the ends 2513 of tubular members 24% contact them. In thisposition, the holes or perforations 252 and 254 (see FIGURE 18) of thetubular member and rod-like member are aligned to receive pins 256 thatcomprise securing devices 72. Pins 256 may be secured to the respectivestruts 36 as by chains 258 welded to either member of the strut. Braceplates 266 may be fixed about perforations 252 of tubular member 240 forreinforcing purposes.

The struts 32 each comprise a channel member 264 in which the flanges266 thereof are perforated at the ends of the strut to receive therespective shafts 4t and 44. Channel members 264 are preferably joinedby appropriate tie plate 263 which .is formed at its ends as at 279 toavoid interference with the cushion apparatus 16 and fifth wheel platestructure 12 during the raising and lowering of the fifth wheel stand.

It will thus be seen that the struts are essentially prop formingdevices, while the struts 32 form a simple lever device to swing thefifth wheel plate structure between raised and lowered positions. Whenthe stand is in the position of FIGURE 2, the members 70 forming therespective struts 39 are in their positions of maximum extension asindicated in FIGURE 10, and in this position they lie between theflanges 266 of struts 32. While this arrangement permits the struts 3i)and 32 to essentially telescope (transversely thereof) together in thelowered position of the stand to achieve a position of minimumelevation, a further lowering in the present invention is achieved bynotching the rod-like members 242 of struts 30 as at 271 to receive therespective shafts 40 of the struts 32. Additionally, the shafts 4!) areexcised as at 272 to permit a still further lowering of the fifth wheelplate structure 12. It will be noted that the excised portions 272 ofshafts 4t) are disposed so that when struts 32 are in the uprightposition, the load will be transmitted to the respective shafts 49lengthwise of their maximum cross-sectional dimension.

As indicated in FIGURE 10, the struts 30 rest on the respective shafts4% when the stand is in its lowered position to hold the fifth wheelplate structure slightly above the car bed.

In the embodiment of FEGURES 14-19, the members 92 forming diagonalstruts 9t) each comprise a pair of telescoping channel members 28%) and282, the outer member 288 having its flanges 284 formed with appropriateperforations to receive the respective shafts 44 that pivot the strutsQt) to fifth wheel plate structure 12. The inner channel members 282arefixed to clevis members 285 that are formed as at 288 to receive therespective cushioning apparatus shafts 34, while the flanges 284 ofchannel members 28h are perforated to receive the respective shafts 44.As indicated in FIGURE 17, the edges of flanges 2554 of channel member2% are provided with slide bars 289 on which the flanges 2% of innerchannel member 2&2 ride to hold these channel members in slidingrelation. Slide bars 239 extend the length of the respective channelmembers 230 and may be fixed in place as by welding. Several latchingdevices $6 may be employed to secure members 2% and 282 in contractedrelation.

The flanges 2% of the outer member 28% are notched as at 293, andflanges 2% of inner member 282 are notched as at 293a to receive therespective shafts 4d that secure vertical struts 94 to the cushioningapparatus in the retracted position of stand 95, similar to the functionof notches 271 of stand it Notches 293 and 293:: should be located sothat they will be aligned transversely of the car in the retractedposition of stand 95. Channel members 282 are provided with flanges 248aagainst which channel members 280 abut in the retracted position ofFIGURE 15.

The tubular members 98 of vertical struts as are secured to clevismembers 294 that receive the respective shafts 4d of the fifth wheelplate structure 12. The rodlike members lltiti are appropriately formedas at 2% to receive the respective shafts 40 and are threaded as at 2%for engagement with the flanged nut 1%. The nut we is turned up to bringflange 360 against flange 302 of tubular member 93 when the fifth wheelstand plate structure has been brought against the undersurface of atrailer F; clamping device 106 is then applied to flanges 3% and 3%after which the stand can be fully elevated to lift a trailer off itslanding gear.

Clamping device 1% comprises a pair of C-shaped members 3% and 3%pivoted at like ends as at 3% and form with perforations 31% at theirother ends to receive a suitable pin 312 for securing the members 3% and3% about flanges 3M and 3%2. Flanges 394 and 3&6 are recessed as at 314to receive the respective flanges 3% and 362. The pins 312 may besecured to the respective struts 94 by appropriate chains 316 having oneend welded to the member 98 and the other end secured to the pin 312.

The stand 25 employs the fifth wheel plate structure 12 and thecushioning apparatus 16. Members 2% and 232 of struts 96! should beproportioned to engage over the respective struts 94, including-latchingdevices me when the stnad F5 is in the lowered inoperative position ofFIGURE 14. Prior to lowering stand to its fully retracted position, nuts1% should be turned toward the respective shafts 46 to provide the playnecessary to accommodate trailers of lesser height above the car bed.

FlFTH WHEEL PLATE STRUCTURE The surfaces 54 of fifth wheel plate 48define a kingpin indexing space 32% which converges in the direction ofcoupler jaw 52. The surfaces 5% merge into relatively closely spacedsurfaces 3259 which terminate in a rounded surface 322 (surfaces 324 and322 are indicated in dashed lines in FIGURE 20) under which the couplerjaw notch 54 is positioned in its latching position. The curved abutment8b is fixed to the under-surface of the plate as by appropriate bolts324, as is a corresponding abutment 326 on the other side of the couplerjaw 52. Abutments 8'19 and 32s may be provided with dowel pins 328 thatare received in appropriate holes 329 (one of which is shown in FIGURE27) formed in the plate 48 for properly locat ing same in assembly ofthe fifth wheel plate structure. As best seen-in FTGURE 24, the couplerjaw 52 is generally circular or round in configuration except for theindentations defined by notches 54, 7d and '78. The jaw 52 may be in theform of integrally united lands 331i and ridges 332 for maximumstrength. Notches 76 and 78 are connected with a cam surface 334 overwhich the plunger 56 rides during application of the kingpin to thecoupler jaw. As indicated in FIGURES 2.4 and 25, the upper surface ofthe coupler jaw about notch 54 may be provided with a hardenedreinforcing U-shaped member 336. e

The curve of abutments 8i) and 326 is complementary to the peripheralsurface 338 of the coupler jaw, the coupler jaw being mounted betweenabutments 8t) and 326 by the coupler jaw retaining plate 346 that issecured in place by the bolts 324, which pass through appropriate holes342 formed in plate 340, and are screw-threadedly received in fifthwheel plate 48; Retainer plate 340 is formed with surfaces 320a and 322athat correspond to surface 320 and 322 of fifth wheel plate 48.

The lugs 46 have the configuration best shown in FIG- URE 21 and arethus generally L-shaped in configuration including a stern portion 350and widened portion 352 which is perforated as at 354- to receive therespective shafts 44 (shafts 44 maybe held against movement axiallythereof in any suitable manner; as by employing conventional snap ring(not shown) received in" grooves formed adjacent the ends of therespective shafts 44) The lugs 46 may be secured tothe undersurface ofplate 48 in any suitable manner, as by welding, and are preferablyspaced approximately as indicated in FIGURE 20. The stem portions 350 oflugs 48 are preferably tied or joined together by tie plate 356 thatforms the rear wall 358 of the fifth wheel plate structure. The tieplate 356 in addition to the wall 358 includes extensions 360 at eachside of the stand; each extension is provided with angled ends 362, andboth the extensions 366 and angled ends 362 may be welded to therespective lugs '46. i

The movementof plunger 56 is guided by spaced guide bars 364 and 366(see FIGURE .24) which are fixed against plate 48. in any suitablemanner, as bywelding, in the positions indicated in FIGURE 24 (extension367 of retaining plate 340 being secured to the respective bars 364 and366 by appropriate bolts 369). The plunger 56 generally comprises atubular member 37.0 formed as at 372 to fixedly receive guide rod 374which also slidably extends through perforation 376 formed in the rearwall "358; A suitable compression. spring 378 is interposed betweenabutment 380 fixed to the rear, wall 358 and the end 382 of plunger 56.Spring 378 thus biases the plunger 56 against the coupler jaw 52.

As best seen in FIGURE 27, the plunger 56 fixedly carries 'a pin39tiwhich is received through handle bar 39 2 forming the handle 58. Thepin390 operates in slot 394 of coupler jaw retainer plate 340 and castlenut 396,

secured in place by appropriate cotter'pin 398, holds the handle bar 392in place. Suitable washers 400 may be applied where shown in FIGURE 27.

The inner end 402 of the handle bar 392 is pivoted to threaded pin 404(see FIGURE 26) that extends downwardly from abutment 80, castle nut406, threaded on pin 404 v(that is fixed in abutment 80) and held inplace by appropriate cotterpin 408, holds'handle bar end 402 in place,appropriate washers 410 being applied to pin 4-04 if so desired.

As best seen in FIGURE 26, the handle bar 392 extends later-ally of thefifth wheel stand plate 48 and outwardly and 420 (see FIGURE 22) whichhold the handlebar in" its extreme positions. 7 When the handle bar isbehind lug 418, the plunger 56 will be drawn tightly into notch '78,

while when handle bar 392 is positioned behind notch 429,'the plunger 56is withdrawn for positioning in notch 76. The relationship of the shapeof notch 54 and the trailer kingpin is indicated in FIGURE 25 wherein.itlwillbe seen that jaw 54, includesan internal shoulder 422 that.

is complementary to the shape ofthe kingpin. When the I2 coupler jaw 52is positioned as indicated in FIGURE 20, the abutment 86 will closenotch 54.

When the fifth wheel stand 10 or 95 is to be initially applied to atrailer kingpin 62, the handle bar 392 is manipulated to free thecoupler jaw 52'which is then moved by. hand to position it as shown inFIGURE 24. This will require that the handle bar 392' be freed of lug413 and drawn to the left of FIGURE as far as necessary to withdrawplunger 56 sufiiciently to permit jaw 52 to be rotated. This willposition handle bar 392 approximately underneath lug 4-29, after whichthe handle is released to position plunger 52 is coupler jaw notch 76.As the fifth wheel plate structure is drawn against the kingpin, thekingpin turns the coupler jaw to the position of F1"- URE 20 and plunger56 rides over cam surface 334 and into notch '78, moving handle bar 392over and behind lug 4180f catch plate 14 (the position of FIGURE 22).This holds the coupler jaw in locked position until release of thekingpin is .desired, at which time the handle bar 392 is moved upwardlyand over lug 418 and to the right of FIGURE 22 behind lug 420. Thismoves plunger 56 completely. out of notch 78 so that when the fifthwheel stand is lowered, the relative movement between the fifth wheelplate structure and the kingpin will 'move the coupler jawi52 back tothe position of FIGURE 24. After the fifth wheel stand is lowered to itsinoperative position, the handlebar 392 is removed from behind lug 420so that plunger .56 will enter not-ch 76 under the action of spring 318. The fifth wheel stand locking device is thus automaticallypositionedto againreceive a trailer kingpinand lock same as describedabove.

Fifth wheel plate structure 12 is perferrably proportioned so that itsweight'forwardly of shafts 44 sufficiently exceeds its weight rearwardlythereof to insure a proper balancing with the force applied by chain 64whereby the fifth wheel plate structure is maintained substantiallyhorizontally disposed while being moved betwen operative and inoperativepositions.

ADVANTAGES OF ruynNrroN It will therefore he been seen that we have notonly provided a simplified fifth wheel stand structure, but we have alsomade provision for protecting lading against damage previously caused bybuff anddraft impacts.

The fifth wheel stand structure relies on the simplified lever forming.struts 32 to raise and lower it to elevated position under the motiveaction of the trailer tractor or other motor'vehicle. 30 securely fixthe stand in elevated position and perrnit easy swinging movement frombetween lowered and elevated positions.

The simplified kingpin latching device is effecitve for application toallstandard trailers, the surfaces 50 providing a practical tolerancefor positioning the trailer with respect to the fifth wheel stand. .Asthe coupler jaw 52 is not journalled or pivotedon a centrally disposedpin but abuts against the rounded elongate abutrnents and 326, thrustforces applied against it are readily absorbed without'damage to anyoperating com- The shape of the coupler jaw notch 54, the plunger 56[and the positioning of the abutment 80 insures that the coupler jawwill securely hold the trailer kingpin in locked'position against alllongitudinal and sidewise thrust as well as :up and down thrusts.

The relatively light weight and'simplifi'ed fifth wheel plate and liftstructures are to' a large extent made possible by the'long travelcushion apparatus 16, which effectively transfers and dissipates kineticenergy applied 'to the stand-on impacts up to lf miles an hour (whichare greater than what conventional railroad cars are designed towithstand)" The lift structure arrangement of FIGURES 14-19 has thedistinct'advantage of accommodating the fifth wheelst and to differenttrailer kingpin heights without The .prop forming struts 33 thenecessity of pre-adjustment or bringing the trailer to some standard orpredetermined height.

While our invention has been disclosed as applied to the piggybacksystem of freight handling, it is equally applicable to other freighthandling systems requiring fifth wheel stands. The lift structure andthe fifth wheel plate structure hereindisclosed may be employed withoutthe cushioning assembly 16 by pivoting struts 3i) and 32 directly to thecar bed. However, in such instances, the car employed preferably isdesigned to transfer and dissipate impact shocks in accordance with theinvention described in said application Serial No. 797,529 and PetersonPatent 3,003,436.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explainand illustrate our invention and the invention is not to be limitedthereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, sincethose skilled in the art who have our disclosure before them will beable to make modifications and variations therein without departing fromthe scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A fifth wheel stand for railroad cars comprising a lift structure anda fifth wheel plate structure carried by said lift structure, said liftstructure comprising a first strut adapted to be pivotally secured atone end thereof to the car, a second strut adapted to be pivotallysecured at one end thereof to the car in spaced rela tion from said oneend of said second strut, means for pivotally securing said other endsof said struts together, said fifth wheel plate structure being securedto at least one of said struts adjacent the said one end thereof, saidfirst strut comprising an extensible and contractible member, and meansfor releasably locking said first strut in contracted relation when thestand is operatively mounted on the car, said second strut when thestand is operatively mounted on the car serving a slever means forswinging said plate structure along an arcuate path between a loweredinoperative position and an elevated operative position, said firststrut when locked in its contracted position when the stand isoperatively mounted on the car holding said plate structure in itselevated position, said second strut comprising a telescoping member,resilient means for biasing said second strut in extended relation, andmeans for releasably locking said second strut against telescopingaction when the stand is operatively mounted, said struts being inextended relation in the lowered inoperative position of said platestructure and said second strut when in extended relation having alength that is sutficient to position said fifth wheel plate at least atthe elevation of kinpins of trailers and the like to be carried by therailroad car when the stand is operatively mounted on the car and saidsecond strut is substantially vertically disposed, the last mentionedmeans being effective to releasably lock said second strut against?contraction after the said fifth wheel plate structure has beenpositioned adajcent the kingpin of the trailer or the like.

2. In a fifth wheel stand for railroad cars for securing in piggybackrelation thereon a trailer chassis by engaging the kingpin of thelatter, said stand including a fifth wheel plate structure includinglatch means for releasably engaging the trailer chassis kingpin, and alift structure for raising and lowering the fifth wheel plate structurebetween an elevated operative position and a lowered inoperativeposition, the improvement wherein said lift structure comprises:

a lever forming strut and a prop forming strut,

said prop forming strut being extensible and contractible,

means for releasably locking said prop forming strut in its contactedrelation against extensing and contracting movement,

means for pivotally securing said struts at like ends to the car atpoints spaced a fixed distance from it each other longitudinaly of thecar for swinging movement between lowered inoperative positions andraised operative positions,

means for pivotally securing said struts together adjacent the otherends thereof,

said fifth wheel plate structure being operatively secured to at leastone of said struts adjacent said other end thereof,

said struts when in their lowered inoperative positions being disposedadjacent the plane of said like end pivotal securing means of saidstruts, with said lever forming strut extending away from said like endpivotal securing means of said prop forming strut and said prop formingstrut being in its extended relation,

said lever forming strut when in its elevated operative position beingsubstantially upright with said prop forming strut disposed in itscontracted relation whereby said releasable locking means may beoperated to lock said prop forming strut in its contracted relation,

said lever forming strut comprising:

an extensible and contractible member,

means for resiliently biasing said lever forming strut to its extendedrelation,

and means for releasably locking said lever forming strut in selectedpositions of adjustment against extensible and contractible movement,

said lever forming strut when in its extended relation having a lengthsufiiicent to, when disposed in its operative position, position saidfifth wheel plate structure to engage trailer chassis kingpins atmaximum elevations above the car,

whereby when said lever forming strut relesable locking means is in itsreleased position, and said lever forming strut is raised to itselevated operative position, said fifth wheel plate structure willoperatively engage trailer chassis kingpins at variable levels above thecar, whereupon said lever forming strut releasable locking means may beoperated to lock said lever forming strut against said extensible andcontractible movement to secure the chassis to the car.

3. The fifth wheel stand set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said lever forming strut further comprises:

a pair of telescoping members including a housing member and a studmember arranged in telescoping relation,

compression spring means operatively interposed between said leverfornn'ng strut telescoping members for biasing said housing member awayfrom said stud member,

said compression spring means comprising said lever forming strutresilient biasing means,

a nut member threaded on said stud member and adapted to be movedaxially of said stud member on being rotated with respect thereto,

and means for releasably securing said housing member to said nutmember.

4. A fifth wheel stand for railroad cars comprising a lift structureadapted to be secured to a railroad car at one end thereof, and a fifthwheel plate structure carried by the other end of said lift structure,said lift structure comprising a first strut adapted to be pivotallysecured at one end thereof to the car, a second strut adapted to bepivotally secured at one end thereof to the car in spaced relation fromsaid one end of said first strut, means for pivotally securing saidstruts together adjacent the other ends thereof, said fifth wheel platestructure being operatively secured to at least one of said strutsadjacent said other end thereof, said first strut comprising anextensible and contractible member, and means for locking said firststrut in contracted relation when the stand is operatively mounted onthe car,

said second strut when the stand is operatively mounted on the carserving as lever means for swinging said plate structure along anarcuate path between a lowered inoperative position and an elevatedoperative position, said first strut when locked in contracted relationholding said plate'structure in its elevated position when the stand isoperatively mounted on the car, said second strut comprising anextensible and contractible member, said second strut when in itsextended relation having a length sufiicient to, when disposed in itsoperative position on the car, position said fifth wheel plate structureto engage trailer chassis kingpins at maximum elevations above the carand including resilient means for biasing said second strut member intoits extended relation, and means for locking said second strut member inselected positions of adjustment against extensible and contractiblemovement.

5. In a strut for a fifth wheel stand, with the strut being adapted tobe secured at one end thereof to a railroad car and being adapted tohave secured at the other end thereof a fifth wheel plate structure, theimprovement wherein said strut comprises: 1

an extensible and contractible member, means for resiliently biasingsaid strut to its extended relation, v

and means for releasably locking said strut in selected positions ofadjustment against extensible and contraetible movement,

said strut further comprising:

a pair of telescoping members including a housing 15 7 member and a studmember arranged in telescoping relation,

, compression spring means ,operatively interposed between said struttelescoping members for biasing said housing member away from said studmember,

said compression spring means comprising said strut resilient biasingmeans, a nut member threaded on said stud member an adapted to be movedaxially of said stud member on being rotated with respect'thereto, andmeans for releasably securing said housing memher to said 'nut member,"

said nut member and said releasable securing means comprising saidreleasable locking means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,036,344 4/36Menhall 105368 2,099,288 11/37 Allen 105--368 2,517,183 8/50 Dunn etal.. 248-2403 3,035,801 5/62 Mangels 248-119 3,041,028 6/62 'MCDOWfill248119 3,087,748 4/63 Livelsberger et al.' 287-20 3,081,115- 3/63 Dickeyet a1. -Q. 287-20 FOREIGN PATENTS 830,410 3/60 a Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,202,390 August24, 1965 Robert MD Sherrie et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 13, line 1, for "contacted" read Signed and sealed this 3rd dayof of May 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner ofPatents contracted

1. A FIFTH WHEEL STAND FOR RAILROAD CARS COMPRISING A LIFT STRUCTURE ANDA FIFTH WHEEL PLATE STRUCTURE CARRIED BY SAID LIFT STRUCTURE, SAID LIFTSTRUCTURE COMPRISING A FIRST STRUT ADAPTED TO BE PIVOTALLY SECUED AT ONEEND THEROF TO THE CAR, A SECOND STRUT ADAPTED TO BE PIVOTALLY SECURED ATONE ENDL THEREOF TO THE CAR IS SPACED RELATION FROM SAID ONE END OF SAIDSECOND STRUT, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY SECURING SAID OTHER ENDS OF SAIDSTRUTS TOGETHER, SAID FIFTH WHEEL PLATE STRUCTURE BEING SECURED TO ATLEAST ONE OF SAID STRUTS ADJACENT THE SAID ONE END THEREOF, SAID FIRSTSTRUT COMPRISING AN EXTENSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE MEMBER, AND MEANS FORRELEASABLY LOCKING SAID FIRST STRUT IN CONTRACTED RELATION WHEN THESTAND IS OPERATIVELY MOUNTED ON THE CAR, SAID SECOND STRUT WHEN THESTAND IS OPERATIVELY MOUNTED ON THE CAR SERVING A SLEVER MEANS FORSWINGING SAID PLATE STRUCTURE ALONG AN ARCUATE PATH BETWEEN A LOWEREDINOPERATIVE POSITION AND AN ELEVATED OPERATIVE POSITION, SAID FIRSTSTRUT WHEN LOCKED IN ITS CONTRACTED POSITION WHEN THE STAND ISOPERATIVELY MOUNTED ON THE CAR HOLDING SAID PLATE STRUCTURE IN ITSELEVATED POSITION, SAID SECOND STRUT COMPRISING A TELESCOPING MEMBER,RESILIENT MEANS FOR BIASING SAID SEC-